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Foundry is an historic, progressive United Methodist Church that welcomes all, worships passionately, challenges the status quo, & seeks to transform the world.
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Tuesday May 24, 2022
Tuesday May 24, 2022
When Our Plans Get Messed Up
A sermon preached by Rev. Kelly Grimes at Foundry UMC May 22, 2022. “Resilience for Times When…” series.
Text: Acts 16:6-15
https://foundryumc.org/archive/resilience-for-times-when
Tuesday May 17, 2022
Tuesday May 17, 2022
Resilience for Times When You’re Not In Control
A sermon for Foundry UMC, - Rev. Ben Roberts
Acts 11:1-18 – 5/15/2022
There are numerous aside from the point takeaways for this passage. For instance, God wants you to take naps and eat snacks. It's okay to eat bacon. Wonderful and good as they are just not the point.
This 5th Sunday of the Easter season the author of Luke Acts continues to tell a story of an expanding early church community. In this passage what we are being treated to is a recounting of the conversion of Cornelius and his household. Peter’s version here given as he says “point by point” is offered to the believers at the church in Jerusalem. Any story of a conversion or out pouring of the Holy Spirit in someone's life should be an immediate cause for celebration. But this isn't a celebration, it's more of an interrogation.
There is a distinction noted about the communities involved. In this case the distinction is noted in the passage as circumcised or uncircumcised believers. That is, those following laws and rituals including dietary restrictions physical observance and those who do not. The Israelites and the gentiles within an expanding Christ follower community. But the interrogation doesn't feel necessary if it was just a matter of did you or did you not do the ritual? Instead, the questions are rooted in long standing traditions involving the identity of those to whom God comes. Peter's actions in dining with and staying with this gentile household is a real cause of concern for believers’ whose identity, assurance, and to some extent control is tied up in the observances of purity practice.
In seeking to be generous, I’m not sure it can be overstated the significance of Peter transgressing norms in this story and perhaps that’s part of why a story of a single household takes up almost a chapter and a half of Acts. Karl Kuhn, a Professor of Religion at Lakeland College puts it this way in a commentary for this week; “such purity norms reinforced for Israelites their identity as a people set apart to serve God, to honor God’s Torah, and to receive God’s deliverance. Purity codes for many Israelites…emerged from and reinforced Israelite understandings of how creation, humanity, and daily life were to be ordered, or “mapped out.” They reflected essential elements of their worldview that defined their role and place as the people of God.”[1] Once more those norms were predictable, outlined, taught from birth, they were somewhat manageable and Peter himself adhered to them.
Peter reports how he argues with a voice in his vision telling him “kill and eat.” In verse 8 he recounts how three times he pushed back on what he’d been shown and told, “by no means, Lord, for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.” Not only this, but in Chapter 10 he also double-checks the people who were sent to fetch him essentially saying, “Y’all know there’s rules about me coming to your house, right?” But all the same, Peter knows he’s not the one in control of the situation and has been sent out to bring the good news. Comforted or spurred along on some level by an answer from heaven saying, go without hesitation, “make no distinction between them and us,” “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.”
But still, and not without good reason the believers in Jerusalem encountered I imagine all manner of unsettling feelings when they first received the story: anger, betrayal, fear, uncertainty. And based on some of the Greek words used in the text, possible reactions include meddlesomeness or seeking an altercation. I’m not sure I blame them either because frankly from their view things were out of control and possibly perilous for their own wellbeing.
It's almost a little too simple this story. Sort of the biblical version of 1/2 hour sitcom. Main characters are introduced conflict emerges quick solution is found and everything is wrapped up in 1 1/2 chapters. It sounds rather nice as a way to get past the entrenchment of us versus them thinking.
With no shortage of factional conflict all around us these days, I'd very much appreciate a quick solution and movement toward celebration and reconciliation. Sadly, it seems the propensity to leverage religious practice against one another as justification for conflict or controlling others has not abated much at any point in history. Even now we are being told that a justification for Russia's fratricidal invasion in Ukraine is for the protection of “ethnic Russians,” but also for the defense and preservation of a religious orthodoxy which ascribes no tolerance or acceptance of LGBTQIA+ persons in society (specifically noted parades) neverminded being welcomed in the church. Of course, there are other false justifications and there are many more layers to the conflict, but it is nonetheless the leveraging of us vs. them thinking to enact violence against those who are otherwise just your neighbors.
Similar ideas related to purity and orthodoxy have brought our own denomination to this point of division where rather than invite the stories of the work of the Spirit in people’s lives, we’ve drawn our lines and actively sort ourselves into camps. Some of the simplistic religious justifications have been framed as differences related to biblical interpretation, but there is of course at play issues of power, of finance, and of control. I have been very aware of my own lack of a generous spirit on this whole matter of late. Based on repeated histories I’m sure we too are not immune from being pitted further against one another nor immune from some seeking to leveraging these same justifications to enact violence against each other. Indeed, we see it from individuals and groups, but we now draw more lines around larger camps, and it saddens me. As that happens, I invite myself to be aware of my own reactions of us and them thinking and want to guard against being so walled-off, I might miss what Spirit is doing beyond my lines.
And we know there’s not just one violent conflict happening in the world with religious justifications at the fore. We know that it’s not just the UMC experiencing separations along ideological lines. We know our fragile political realities in this country are fraught with seemingly deepening synthetic tribalism and racism drawing and separating the population out into us and them.
It's a lot to try and bear and very little of it do we have control over directly. It’s unsettling at best and too often dangerous, but there are forces at work in the world that some feel more than comfortable leveraging for their own gain. Whether the root is fear or greed. Or whether it’s a matter of feeling one’s identity tied to specific rules and practices. Or if someone feels they must separate out or attack because their own relationship or favor with God depends upon it, this approach of us and them lends itself to destroying peace within if not between one another.
Now let’s be clear, there are things worth fighting for. There are times it’s necessary to separate out for safety of vulnerable communities (spiritual, mental, physical safety). The caution in this is not so that we accept harm or injustice in the world. I think there’s a call in here to be pliable with the at times necessary lines drawn, so that we don’t wall ourselves off so completely or deeply we forget that God exists beyond those walls too. Not only does God exist beyond whatever US we’ve fallen into, but Spirit does work there as well. And can even do it with them.
Step by step, the passage says in verse 4, Peter explains to the believers in Jerusalem what had taken place. It was necessary because they seem to be very twisted up about the situation, they criticized him. What were you doing Peter? You know you’re not supposed to do that? Feels like there’s an undercurrent of “you’ve put yourself at risk” or worse “you’ve put all of us at risk.” We had this thing all figured out and now you’re breaking all our rules.
Enter Peter’s defense; “I know, I tired, multiple times I tried to refute the voice God sent to me in a vision. Told the Lord all about how I don’t eat unclean things. Three times in fact. All the same the word came to me, do not call profane what I have called clean.” Peter accredits himself, “I know the rules,” but then must find a way to shake the community out of their us them box because they’re about to miss it. This whole interaction is only happening because they already knew what had happened, but we’re shown the first reaction isn’t celebration, it’s trepidation.
He pulls them back from the brink not with a harsh return of chastising, but points them to the work of the Spirit at the house. What’s been called the “Gentile Pentecost” took place as Spirit was poured out upon Cornelius’ house as Spirit had been pour out on others. Making no distinction between us and them. Verse 17, “If then God gave them the same gift [given] to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?” They were silenced, then they praised God.
Not bad Peter, pulling the group back from the brink by pointing to the work (or blaming) the Holy Spirit. And it’s true, she doesn’t really check with anyone, as Pastor Ginger says, Spirit will do what Spirit’s going to do.
Two things here, first; Peter does not tell the story “step by step.” There are a number of details in chapter 10 that are left out of this recounting. Primarily that this whole thing started by Peter going to pray…getting hungry while attempting to do so…and falling into a nap…I mean a trance… he took a nap. But maybe, I was prying and fell asleep because I was hungry isn’t the message the church needed that day.
Second, I don’t love the English translation in verse 18; “they were silenced.” Little too harsh for the situation and misses something about what happened in the space. Though, there are a number of people or groups I would love to silence with a recounting of the work of the Spirit, I think there’s something else in here for us. It’s a little more than not speaking or not making noise; the Greek here, hésuchazó (hay-soo-khad'-zo) has additional uses including to cease from altercation, leading a quite life, a mental condition of awe, and even to refrain from, not just speech, but work and meddlesomeness.
It's fun, but I think my favorite this round was from the French translation I work with, “[at this word those listening] “retrouvèrent leur calme.” They found their calm. I love that, lost sight of my calm for a minute, Peter and Spirit helped me find it.
Part of the calmness likely comes because there is recognition that their identity (including important acts and rituals central to the practice of their faith) and their relationship with God isn’t subsumed or at risk because of what happened with the gentiles. Instead, the reminder of the baptism by water and the Spirit. That we’re incorporated into a larger family. Rev. Dr. Choi Hee An puts it like this, [the community is a place where believers share “the same whatever we have and they have together. … After we share what we have and what they have, we become them, and they become us. Our individual cultures are not erased, but we and they become one, in the sense of living with one another in mutual respect and support.”[2] The invitation to life goes further, thanks be to God.
I know the purpose of the story is to show the expanding early church and the ways the early Christians were figuring out life together. Balancing a melding of traditions or no traditions at all and a joining of diverse groups into one. Try as I might, I do still read into this the similar acts of established groups within churches or congregations who see new people arriving and joining and reacting in less than hospitable ways. It does make me wonder about our denomination and the ways our polity seeks to exclude even those people for whom it is obvious Spirit is active and poured out in their life and ministry. Who are we to hinder God?
I’ve tried to be generous with the group in our story and imagine what it must be like to feel out of control or as if something is being taken away from you because of what someone else has. But I also feel a strong impulse to just say, “can’t you perceive what’s happening here. The evidence. The active of God, the good work and fruit of the faithful? Get off your privilege and make room on the bench.” They should get some credit though, because at least they question what was happening rather than simply saying over and over, “but they’re gentiles!” And trusted relational leadership in Peter helps them along, knowing they’re not in control, to discover and not miss the ongoing work of God in the world.
It's also unlikely the author of Luke-Acts intended to offer strategies of spiritual and communal resiliency in these verses. Nonetheless, they are present.
There’s a reminder that the church in Jerusalem is part of something larger. That the baptism by water and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit connects them across all manner of lines.
They are connected to a larger purpose. They are a community of mutual support and care. What they have is shared with others and what others have is shared with them. That even when things happen beyond their control (scary, sad, or wonderful) they are incorporated into a community that bears with one another through all those things.
In a spiritual sense, Peter reminds them the work of God in the world continues. Spirit doing what Spirit does to draw people into life and the love of Christ. These are all things that help a community and individuals build resiliency in the face of stress and trauma: a sense of purpose, acts of service, spiritual practice, relational connections.
Part of resilience for times that are stressful or beyond our control is taking better stock of what is in our control. You will not control Holy Spirit. While we can assume the work of Spirit will be positive, any situation beyond our control can be questioned. We can situate it within a rubric of the fruits of the Spirit. Are these things or my re-actions to them making me more joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle. Or am I practicing self-control within my reaction? There are things in the world that we can control even as the world itself and many events of life and community remain far beyond our grasp.
Within our church community we can exercise some of those healthy things to make us more resilient as we bear with one another. There are spaces for service, for learning and expanding skills, for retreat and rest, and places you can both help care for others and get care for yourself. The prayer ministers and the care teams to name a few. You can engage in a larger purpose, to share broadly the love of Christ and extend in the place a radical welcome for whomever Spirit brings through the door. In your relationships that I pray you will continue to build out with one another, you can share the work of the Holy Spirit in your life and in others. I think one of the best things Peter does in this story is to show where Spirit has been at work in wondrous ways helping the community to find their peace and their praise. May we in days that are difficult find the same.
https://www.foundryumc.org/archive/resilience-for-times-when
Sunday May 08, 2022
Sunday May 08, 2022
When You Don’t Want to Get Out of Bed
A sermon preached by Rev. Ginger E. Gaines-Cirelli at Foundry UMC May 8, 2022. “Resilience for Times When…” series.
Text: Acts 9:36-43
https://foundryumc.org/archive/resilience-for-times-when
Sunday May 08, 2022
Sunday May 08, 2022
When You Get Knocked Down
A sermon preached by Rev. Ginger E. Gaines-Cirelli at Foundry UMC May 1, 2022, third Sunday of Easter. “Resilience for Times When…” series.
Text: Acts 9:1-20
It’s fun to discover unlikely Easter songs. Some of my faves include “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” by Charles Wesley, “I’m Coming Out” performed to perfection by Diana Ross, the Gloria Gaynor classic, “I Will Survive”—and the one that hit me this year: British band Chumbawamba’s 1997 earworm, “Tubthumper” with the repeated lyric: “I get knocked down but I get up again, you’re never gonna keep me down.” That’s a resurrection song—a resurrection resilience song. A quick online study revealed that a member of the band said the song is about “the resilience of ordinary people.”
Lord knows it doesn’t take long in life to “get knocked down”—in one of the many ways we might interpret that phrase: to be bullied, to lose something or someone we care about, to fail at something we tried hard to accomplish, to keep hitting obstacles and walls as you try to make progress toward a goal, to be humbled by a difficult task, or “taken down a notch (or many)” by someone who names a way we’ve hurt them or done harm to others.
It’s that last one that knocked Saul of Tarsus down. Saul—who most of us know as Paul the apostle—began as one virulently opposed to Jesus and the disciples of Jesus’ Way. Saul was born to Jewish parents who possessed Roman citizenship, a privilege passed to their children. He was highly educated in Jerusalem, likely under the tutelage of the famous Rabbi Gamaliel. And he brought his considerable skill, privilege, and passion to the work of persecution. Saul was present and affirmed the murder of Stephen (Acts 8:1) and was clear in his mission to hunt down Jesus’ disciples with violent intentions. (9:1)
With this clear itinerary Saul sets out for Damascus and on the way—according to almost every artist who’s imaged this moment—Saul is knocked off his horse on the road by otherworldly light—a common symbol throughout scripture, along with fire and cloud, for the presence of God. Saul, and those traveling with him, are aware of a voice who turns out to be none other than the risen Jesus. “Why are you persecuting me?” Just as Saul had never been able to perceive who Jesus was or welcome what he reveals and offers, in this moment Saul doesn’t physically “see” Jesus but only receives the message. The encounter leaves Saul not only unable to see Jesus, but to see anything. Whether this detail means to signal metaphorically Saul’s moral incapacity to perceive the error of his ways, was simply a result of encountering God’s presence and power (“blinded by God’s glory/shekinah”), or whether it was understood by the author as divine punishment is unclear. But regardless, Saul’s perception is completely messed up—so much so that he goes, with assistance, into Damascus and fasts and prays for 3 days.
While Ananias doesn’t get knocked off a horse like Saul, he also gets knocked down, humbled by a dangerous call from God. Saul’s reputation preceded him and Ananias—a disciple of Jesus—knows he is a clear target. But Ananias is called by God to seek Saul out and lay hands on him—a ritual act that, in scripture, is often a sign of healing, blessing, call, and affirmation of gifts through the power of Holy Spirit.
Imagine for just a moment that you are Ananias. (If it helps, imagine not Saul but a present day, murderous despot in the scenario) You are a disciple of Jesus who’s been trying to faithfully follow the Way even midst violent persecution. You know this guy wants to kill you. You know what he’s done to others. You learn this murderer is the one God chooses to do important Kin-dom work. And you are asked to help make it happen. If I were Ananias, I would have some big feelings. But Ananias, the one who began his response to God saying, “Here I am, Lord,” does what is asked. He goes to Saul, greets him as a member of the family, and blesses him. (9:17 “Brother Saul”)
What happens next is given little texture in the story, but I can only imagine what it must have been like to witness such a conversion. Was it the faith, courage, and open arms of Ananias that were the tipping point for Saul? Some Spirit-fueled epiphany that Ananias and other disciples were not soulless enemies, but fellow children of God? Was it the experience of being shown mercy by Jesus? Whatever it was, Saul was baptized into a new life. And Ananias witnessed the power of God’s mercy and love in the life of even one such as Saul.
What can we learn from Saul and Ananias about resurrection resilience for the times when we get knocked down?
Notice that Saul spends three days in prayer and fasting and Ananias engages in conversation with God, naming his concerns and receiving guidance for his discernment. It sounds so basic, but when you feel most alone, most ashamed, most confused or afraid—God is with you, loving you, ready to spend some time with you, and to help you. When you get knocked down, turn to God, bring yourself into God’s presence, ask your questions, throw your tantrums, cry your eyes out, or just feel the strength of Mother/Father God holding you.
And listen. Pay attention to the message or discernment you receive in prayer. In the story for today, clarity about how to go forward comes quickly. That isn’t often the case in our lives. But it does come when we remain aware and attentive that God is up to something in us and through us—and that God wants to help us. In my experience, proverbially “getting up” after being knocked down can sometimes be a very slow process. It is difficult, holy work to heal from grief or trauma, to truly receive God’s grace and release from guilt and shame. It takes time and is holy work to allow God’s grace to work in new ways in us that set us on a new course. Healing and change take time and intention.
Turning to God provides the grace we need for resilience when we’ve been knocked down. In prayerful encounter with God several things are possible:
1. God will help us be honest about what has happened. We can rationalize things, we can fall into old patterns of self-blame, we can take too much or too little responsibility, or try to ignore whatever has knocked us down. But in the presence of God, there’s nothing you can hide—what you did or didn’t do, what you are or aren’t responsible for, what does or doesn’t matter most, and on it goes. If you are open, God will reveal to you the truth. And ALL of the truth is bathed in God’s love and mercy.
2. God will help us learn what we need to learn from the experience and will help us get up. Part of this is to recognize our need and seek out and connect with people and other resources that will give us strength to rise and keep going. A few examples: You can love and rely on both Jesus and your therapist. You can receive grace from God and support from church, friends, or a social service agency. You can practice receiving God’s love, others’ love, and self-love.
3. God will help us engage differently in the world as a result of God’s guidance through the struggle. At the very least, we will be aware of how awful it is to be knocked down and perhaps more perceptive to others having that experience. We might even focus more on offering others a hand to get back up instead of piling on with disdain, judgment, or indifference.
If there are things we need to change in our own behavior or perspective so that we stop doing harm to others or to ourselves, God’s grace will indeed help us. //
Of course there are those in the church—both in the pews and in the pulpit—who continue to use their power and privilege to persecute others and do harm. Photos of Putin lighting his Easter candle as the Russian Orthodox Patriarch presided in a pristine, ornate sanctuary won’t let us forget… Saul’s persecutions were religiously driven or at least religiously rationalized. But today we are reminded that even for Saul, new life and the opportunity to use his powers for good and not for harm became possible. If it can happen for Saul and those like him through the ages, it most definitely can happen for you.
And there are also powerful images of Orthodox Christians in Ukraine celebrating Easter last weekend. An image of a family with young children walking alongside barricades on their way to a service, people of all ages lined up in front of a bunker in a bombed out city with their traditional food baskets to be blessed, an Orthodox priest blessing Easter cakes at a humanitarian aid facility… These images of Christian hope in a time of war are, for me, powerful reminders that turning to God, relying on the love and grace and community of God and God’s people can help us keep going even in the worst moments of life.
You will get “knocked down” in life, sometimes in unimaginably painful ways, but with God you’ll always be given grace—and companions on the journey—to help you get up again. There’s nothin’ gonna keep you down. Thanks be to God.
Monday Apr 25, 2022
Monday Apr 25, 2022
Resurrection Resilience – You’ve Got Friends in Low Places
REV. DR. JAMES HARNISH
Text: ACTS 5:27-32 & REVELATION 1:4-8
Today’s Guest Preacher:
The Rev. Dr. James A. Harnish (Jim) retired after 43 years of pastoral ministry in the
Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. He was the founding pastor of St.
Luke’s United Methodist Church in Orlando and served for 22 years as the Senior Pastor of
Hyde Park United Methodist Church in Tampa.
Jim is the author of more than 20 books and Bible studies including “A Disciple’s Path” and “Extraordinary Ministry in Ordinary Time.” His most recent book is “Finding Your Bearings: How Words that Guided Jesus Through Crisis Can Guide Us.” He was a Consulting Editor for “The New Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible” and a contributor to “The Wesley Study Bible.”
He served on the General Board of Discipleship and the General Commission on General Conference, and as a delegate to General and Jurisdictional Conferences and World Methodist Conferences in England, Brazil, Kenya and South Africa. He is a facilitator for the Florida Conference Institute of Preaching and a member of the Board of Visitors at Duke Divinity School.
He and his wife, Martha, live in Longwood, Florida. They have two married daughters and five grandchildren in Florida and South Carolina. He blogs at www.jimharnish.org.
https://foundryumc.org/archive/resilence